National Office and branch activities.

• Position: INSTITUTE NOTES

On 28 November HE Bruno Julien, the head of the European Commission Delegation to Australia and New Zealand, addressed an NZIIA meeting on 'Europe: the Way Forward--Recent Developments in the European Union and its Deepening Relationship with New Zealand'.

A special meeting of the National Council on 6 December approved a number of amendments to the NZIIA's Constitution. Some of the revisions were prompted by government changes to charitable trust rules. The new constitution provides for the appointment of life members and changes the status of honorary vice-presidents.

A roundtable discussion was held with Colin Keating on 20 February. A former New Zealand Ambassador to the United Nations and Deputy Secretary of MFAT, Keating since 2005 has been Executive Director of Security Council Report, a New York-based think tank.

Professor Gary Hawke, a member of the Standing Committee, was appointed a CNZM in the New Year's Honours List.

Christchurch

At a meeting on 15 November Branch chair Kennedy Graham launched locally David McIntyre's recent book The Dominion of New Zealand: Statesmen and Status. Professor McIntyre spoke on 'Some Reflections on the Centenary of Dominion Status'. On 29 November a meeting was held on 'Global Challenges and Inter-generational Dialogue'. The speakers were Erin Jackson (President of the Canterbury branch of the UN Youth Association of New Zealand) and Anton Smith (leader-designate of the New Zealand delegation to the model UN Conference at The Hague in January 2008) with Dr Kate Dewes and John Pilkington as responders. On 13 December Dutch Ambassador HE Rasha ter Braak spoke on 'Migration and Integration Policy in the 21st Century--A Perspective from the Netherlands'.

Palmerston North

The following meetings were held:

10 Oct HE Ms Penny Reedie (High Commissioner of Canada), 'A Canadian Initiative: Responsibility To Protect and Canada--New Zealand Relations'.

24 Oct HE Mikhail Lysenko...